Trying new things and sharing my experiences

Until now, this blog has been about trying new things and sharing those adventures. But even more of a challenge I found out is trying to live without something.

About two years ago, I switched from regular soda to diet soda. No calories, no sugar, no carbohydrates… Perfect, right? Sure, diet soda tastes a little funny, but to me it was worth it to shed off the pounds. Recently though, I’ve been reading about how dangerous diet soda can be. Apparently, the artificial sweeteners in it convince the body to consume more calories and therefore gain more weight. By offering the body something sweet, our taste buds desire glucose sugars. This sends cravings way up so we unknowingly give in and eat more than we normally would. In addition, the caffeine makes you jitter, you’re not consuming any vitamins, and aspartame (one of the key ingredients in diet soda) is linked to many defects and diseases.

So for two weeks now- and counting- I have given up diet soda. This has been an extreme challenge, especially when 2 o’clock hits and I shake for a midday energy boost. The first few days without diet soda, I kept getting headaches. As I drank more water and juices though, I began to balance out. By day four, I was doing fine. Juices have minerals and vitamins that are good for the body, and water keeps us hydrated and detoxifies our system. It’s a win/win.

Getting informed on health issues is important and sometimes a real shocker! I am so happy I’ve decided to give up diet soda, and I suggest everyone else try as well. It’s funny though how trying to live without something is one of the hardest things you’ll ever have to try.